The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-08-26


wife he had-came to our house and
had a talk with me. She said she
wanted me to marry Mr.. Neff / was only fif-
teen, but knew what polygamy was, and had
said IF he me he'll have to summon up
cheek enough to ask me himself" / said this in
fun. and then Iasked Mrs Neff what she thought
about it. She said herself and husband had
talked the whole matter over, and she had come
the conclusion that as her husband was obliged
TO take second wife she knew nobody she'd
sooner have him take than myself therefore she
begged me when he called 10 give him favor
able answer. This proposition, coming from
woman thirty-five years old, who had been mar
ried for years to husband of about the same
age, and who had assisted him In accumuiatlng
his wealth. was at once strange and amusing
Mr.. Neff called that same night, and,
in answer to his question. L told him
that he must be crazy make such
offer of Marriage to a mere child. but he in
sisted tn at he was in earnest, and he went to
my mother, who. on account of bis high position
in the church, afraid to fatty refuse him.
Mother said she would not go against my wishes
but if he could persuade me into polygamy she
would offer no objections; at tho same time she
warned me not to give my consent for any con-
sideration. Mrs Neff came around Co see me
several times, and was always urging me to
marry ner husband. saving that he could not
live without me, and both of them would be all
the happier for it. But the more she talked the
frmer became in my resistance They in
vited me TO spend a few days at their country
home wanted to refuse but mother sara l
had better | went, and l don't think
spent more miserable time anywhere in all my
life The hus band was continually asking me
to 60 buggy-ridlng with him and the wife
coaxing to consent Still. L thought saw
that the woman was unhappy. She seemed to
be doing what she did against her will. ball
given in the neigh borhood and wanted to
go. Mrs. Neff asked me to go with Frank-that
was her husbands name-but said no. would
go alone. unless she agreed to go along. She
agreed, and we went. That man tried his very
hardest that night toedance with me, and his
wife. even. asked me to dance with him, but
1-o1af MA Of anfG al Uffh ha
young fellows and he got no dance.
Some then told him that l would not
dance with him while Mrs Neff was present, SO
he told her and she went home. After she went
he came to and said she had gone and he
hoped now he would have the pleasure of
dance. but ! continued to make excuses and
avoided him. The time came to go home and
refused to allow him to accompany me unless
there was a third party along. His brother Amos
accompanied US, and after leaving at the
door the two men went to Amos Neff's house.
found Mrs Neff in her room in tears-a more
hearSbroken woman l never saw. She had been
sitting there frettin. and crying and moaning
for hours thinking that / dancing
with her husband and that l
coming home alone with him. And only the
night before she had sat up with me until II
o'clock trying to talk me into marrying him,
making all sorts of promises and saying that
herself and Mr. Neff would write out deeds
for one ha:f of all the property and possessions
they had if would only give my consent! She
begged me not to say anything to her husband
about the crying scene he would scold her
for 1t; but said thought IT. my duty TO tell
him, and also to let him know the opinion had
of him. [ told Mrs. Neff not to erieve, l
would never cause her the slightest sorrow, and
sent her to bed a much happier woman than /
found her my coming in. Next morning at
the breakfast table Mr.. Neff said
thing about poygamy. That all the
provocation | wanted. | said: "Mr. Neff, If
you any kind of man at all, or had
the commence human instincts you'd let DO
lygamv alone; you have a wife who is too good
for you. and who loves you better than you de-
serve-stick TO her and let other women alone"
Then told him the condition in which had
found his wife coming from the ball. His
face grew white, and laying down his knife and
fork he arose from the table and left the room. l
went home that morning, and neither saw Mr..
Neff nor heard from him again. He never went
into polygamy, and felt very glad of it, for the
sake OF the heart broken little woman to whom
a second wife by her husbands side would have
meant speedy DEATH"
There isn't anything of this kind going on
nowr said l.
There isn't eh9" the girl replied. There's
lots of it, but, like nolygamy itself, it's carried
very quietly. OF course. it's against the law
now for with wife already take
another, but they take them all the same, and
there's many wife and mother out visiting to-
day Zion who. though it be with bleeding
heart, is zealously counting and coaxing some
pretty young girl for her husband" J.